Tray



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N mv.. n N w A w N 9 1 l nl 1 Q QN Q M. .3. Mw E N Nw v .N W Q Patented Mey `17, 194s y TRAY Charles 0. Bailar and Thomas L. Spalding,

Menasha, Wis., asslgnors to Marathon Corporation, Rothschild,'Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 7, 1947, Serial No. 720,550

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a tray for supporting articles. The supporting tray is made from a single blank of cardboard or the like that can be shipped in ilat collapsed condition and is adapted to be readily set up for use.

More specifically, the invention is an improvement of the tray disclosed by Bailar in Patent No. 2,368,797, dated February 6, 1945. The tray herein disclosed is more easily manufacturedv since a cutting operation is omitted. Also, when the tray is set up for use it does not have the tendency to buckle and lose its intended shape. The tray has improved rigidity though the caliper and weight of the stock used is no greater than for the tray disclosed in the aforesaid Bailar patent. The present novel tray also allords increased visibility of the objects packaged therein.

Further advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan View of an elongated cardboard blank from which the tray of the present invention is constructed,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the fiat collapsed tray as shipped to the user.

` Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tray in set-up condition, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a package of bakery rolls supported on a tray made in accordance with the present invention and completely wrapped in a transparent wrapper.

Referring to the drawings, the tray is preferably made from an elongated blank of cardboard of suitable caliper. As illustrated in Figure l, score lines I, 2, 3 and 4 provide opposed end walls 5 and 6, opposed side walls l and 8 and a glue panel 9. Side Walls 1 and 8 are provided with article supporting panels I and II. Supporting panels IIJ and II are deilned by cut lines I2, I3, I4, and I terminating at hinge linesV I6 and Il, respectively. Thehinge lines extend parallel to the longitudinal edges of the side walls and may be a continuous creased score line or alternate created score lines and cut score lines. The cut lines I2, I3, I4 and I5 extended downwardly from the top edge of the blank along a portion of the score lines I 2, 3 and 4. The side edges of the supporting panels Ill and II are indicated at I9, 20, 2l and 22. The cut lines I2, I3, I4 and IiiA may be arcuately formed to impart. rounded corners to the top of each end wall.

In forming the trays from the blank described, adhesive 23 is applied to the margin of panel 5. The blank may be folded back on itself along score line 3, as illustrated in Figure 2, so as to bring adhesive 23 into contact with glue panel 9, thereby forming a continuous rectangular sleeve. The sleeve so formed may be shipped in this flat condition to the user.

In use, the flat collapsed tray is opened and set up so as to bring the end walls 5 and 6 and side walls 1 and 8 in opposed relationship as shown in Figure 3. The article supporting panels I0 and II are folded inwardly toward each other, along their respective hinge lines, to assume the position shown in Figures 3 and 4. It will be observed that the edges I9, 20, 2| and 22 of the supporting panels abut the end panels 5 and 6 thereby imparting rigidity to the tray in its setup condition. The tendency of the tray to assume the knocked-down conilguration shown in Figure 2 is eliminated.

With the tray set up as shown in Figure 3, any suitablel articles such as bakery rolls 24 can be positioned and supported on the extended supporting panels III and II. It will be noted, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, that the outer free Vedges of panels III and II terminate short of each other in order to permit air to circulate beneath and around the articles supported by said panels; A wrapper 25, such as transparent cellophane or the like is preferably Wrapped around the set-up tray and its contents in order to protect the contents against contamination as illustrated in Figure 4.

The present invention may be embodied in other` specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. It is desired that the present preferred embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the aforegoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A tray for supporting articles formed of an elongated integral |blank, the ends of said blank being partially overlapped and fastened together to form a rectangular band, said blank being provided with score lines to form opposed end walls and side walls, said side walls being provided wlth panel portions folded inwardly toward each other on a hinge line extending in parallel relation to the longitudinal edges of said side walls, and said panel portions being formed by cut lines extending downwardly from the top edge of the side wall at right angles thereto and terminating at said hinge line, said panel portions being adapted to assume a position for supporting articles thereon.

2. A tray for supporting articles formed of an an 3 elongated integral blank, the ends of said blank being partially overlapped and fastened together to form a rectangular band. said blank being REFERENCES crrnn The ufollowing references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS VNumber Name Date D. 98,690 'Pomerantz Feb. 25. 1936 2,056,297 Rood Oct. 6, 1936 2,368,797 Bailar Feb. 6, 1945 Levkol June 11, 1946 

